


Promise

by Asimplewriterlivingasimplelife2



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Homophobic Language, Hurt/Comfort, I refuse to accept the true ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Post-Season/Series 03, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery, Soft Billy Hargrove, Soft Steve Harrington, they just really love each other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 09:07:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19971517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asimplewriterlivingasimplelife2/pseuds/Asimplewriterlivingasimplelife2
Summary: “You remember what I promised you Pretty Boy? When we made out that one time at Lover’s Lake?”How could Steve forget?





	Promise

“I swear she’s been checking me out Steve, like full-on checking me out _.”_

Robin and Steve are about ten minutes away from finishing their shift at Family Video. Steve’s busy putting returned movies back on the shelves and Robin’s sitting up on the counter with pink cheeks, talking all about this pretty brunette that apparently has kept coming into the store to check out movies. Steve’s pretty sure he’s seen the mystery girl before but he knows for a fact that Robin’s got it bad for this girl, real bad.

“Do you know her name?” 

“Sarah.”

Did he know a Sarah?

Steve put up the last movie and stood up with a smile on his face, “I’ve had plenty of luck with women, I can gladly help if you need my expertise.” 

Robin looked at him a little confused for a minute, that pink on her cheeks getting brighter as she burst into loud laughter. She was borderline crying and by the time she calmed down she shook her head, “Oh please Dingus, we know how well you are doing with the girls at Scoops. What was it? I clearly remember you were six and zero for the longest time.” 

That uniform was still one of the many things that haunted him, “Okay, first of all, it was that stupid sailor outfit ruining my best feature. I’m very charming.”

Steve rolled his eyes as he gestured to his hair and Robin had a grin on her face, “Wow, I didn’t know Russians and an interdimensional monster were keeping charming Steve Harrington from going off on his hoe shit all summer long with all the girls.” 

Steve glared at her and Robin smacked her gum with a smirk, “You only went six and one when you finally accepted that I, the supreme lesbian, was right about California Boy wanting to hop on your dick so bad. I know you guys went out a few times and did become a thing before the whole incident happened but even up until now you refuse to tell me if-” 

“Robin!” 

Steve could feel his face and neck heating up from the embarrassment. It wasn’t like Steve was embarrassed about anyone finding out he had a thing for guys and girls, he stopped giving a fuck about it a long time ago. It’s moreover the fact that Billy’s his boyfriend and like a dumb school girl, Steve gets all flustered when he talks about him.

Robin giggled as she leaned back on the counter, “Fine. Don’t tell me now, but I’ll find out one day Stevie.” 

The smile suddenly dropped from her face and her dark eyes got a little sad, “How’s he doing anyway?”

It definitely was hard for Billy for a while. 

After Billy got out of his two-month stay from the hospital, Steve heard the news from Max about how much the Mayfield-Hargrove house changed. Billy’s dad just vanished without a word to his family about where or why he was leaving. Steve thought of it as probably one of the few good things that came out of the whole incident. Max hated seeing her mom so heartbroken about him but she was told Steve she was glad her stepdad finally decided to just leave, 

_“Neil was always trying to force us to be a family even if he was the real problem. I hated him for the beginning after he kept trying to make every attempt to somehow become my dad. Maybe one day I would have accepted him if he would have been a little less of a dick. He was always so rude to my mom and God...even worse to Billy. He'd beat Billy up really bad for stupid stuff that wasn't his fault. He'd call Billy a fag for liking to read and giving a shit about his appearance. I don’t care if he never admits it but I saw how scared Neil could make Billy feel. Billy got scared, angry and started becoming an asshole all the time but he always made sure that Neil didn’t take his anger out on me. It’s terrible that my mom is so tore up about a jerk but it’s better that he’s gone. Billy doesn’t need that right now or ever again.”_

The only other true good thing that Steve also noticed was that new unsaid truce between Max and Billy. Steve drove Max to the hospital every day even when Billy wasn’t awake because she didn’t want him to wake up alone. Even if the threat at home was gone, Steve noticed how much more protective of him she had gotten. Billy had gotten quieter in general and didn’t call her the names that he used to. Sometimes Max told Steve the absence of that name-calling just made it more real that he was completely different. She’d be the one forcing him to eat and drink on those days he locked himself in his room, calling Steve if she was worried he might have been dead. 

_“I just don’t want him to be alone Steve.”_

Steve was there a lot when he wasn’t acting as a chauffeur to the other kids or at work. He’d help Max take care of him or fix his car. She learned a lot about what she knew from watching Billy work hours on the Camaro or from those rented books from the library. Sometimes Steve suggested he could just pay for the car to get fixed in a shop, but Max insisted that she had to be the one to do this right. Steve would be there to bring him back from the nightmares and bad flashbacks that would leave Billy shaking. Steve was there to be the silent hand to hold, that shoulder to cry on, and the person to just ramble about nothing while Billy just listened. 

_“I’m not leaving you.”_

Steve always tried to keep a positive attitude, even on those bad days, that it wasn’t going to always be like this. Sometimes Steve deep down had a hard time believing his own words but if he could play pretend just for a little while, give Billy some hope, maybe it could be some help towards healing.

When he can’t be there, El is the other person that comes over. She comes to hang out with Max but also comes to check in on Billy. Hopper told Steve she insisted on bringing eggos every time she went, said it was important. Max said she saw in his head and somehow that’s probably the only reason why he’s not so uneasy around her. Steve didn’t think Billy even really knew about her name but she indirectly already knew him. They had conversations and El also seemed to be keeping track of the days that Billy was happy on this sticker board Steve had seen one day in the kitchen while he made breakfast. 

_“Happy.”_

It’s been close to a year now and Billy might still not really be the same but he’s been doing a lot better. Max and Steve finished up fixing the Camaro back to working condition and it looked like the crash hadn’t even happened. Steve hadn’t seen Billy smile at anything in months, really smile, until he saw his car looking so good. Max said Billy was coming out of his room a lot more to go back into the same routine of sometimes smoking in the backyard or lifting weights. He didn’t unbutton his shirt as far down as he used to and Max said he wasn’t spending so much time admiring himself in the mirror. Billy was still uneasy in outside crowds but could get out of the house if he had Steve, Max, or El by his side.

Billy’s wounded and broken, probably will be for a long time, but Steve is always going to love him. 

Steve gave Robin a shrug and a smile, “Considering that he got possessed and is stuck with some pretty bad memories, I’d say he’s actually been doing pretty good so far.” 

It was more of a sad smile that was soon matched on Robin’s face. They all had some degree of memories they didn’t really want to remember from a few months ago, Billy just happened to have the worst of it.

Robin looked like she was about to say something until they both heard someone come in. Steve was going to say they pretty much were closed now until he saw that it was Max and El. Steve saw Robin look outside and silently with a small smile on her face, go behind the counter to wait for the girls to pick a movie. Max and El both were grinning while Steve raised his eyebrows, “I’ve got like five more minutes on my shift I hope you aren’t really planning on causing some kind of trouble.” 

Max shook her head not dropping the smile, “Not today Steve! We're actually here to get a movie for tonight but Billy wanted to talk to you.” 

El pointed outside, “Something important to ask.” 

Steve glanced out to the parking lot to see the blue Camaro parked right in front of the store, Billy leaning against the outside of it smoking a cigarette. The sun was shining off his too perfect golden mane and silver earring. He was wearing dark sunglasses, a leather jacket even if it wasn’t that cold out, those same tight ass jeans, and a black button-up shirt. 

“Well I can ring you up when you-” 

“I’ve got this Dingus. I can ring them up and close up, go see what your boyfriend wants.” 

Steve glanced back to Robin who was behind the register, waving at him to go away. Steve couldn’t help the grin as he practically ran outside to the parking lot. Billy seemed to know he was there instantly, letting out a fresh cloud of smoke before stomping on the cigarette with his boot. 

The familiar rough voice pierces the silence, “Hey _Pretty Boy.”_

Damn did he look good right now, so much better. Shaded eyes looked at him and smile came to Billy’s face.

“Hey yourself.” 

“I would have gone in, but the sun's out bright today.” 

“It’s cool I got the message from the girls.” 

There’s an awkward silence before Steve’s closing the distance in between the both of them, pulling Billy into a kiss. Billy’s shocked by the whole thing initially but eventually starts kissing Steve back gently. It’s been a while since they’ve had a kiss like this and the feeling runs through Steve’s entire body like a wave of electricity. 

They’re close when they pull away, Steve’s hand cupping one of Billy’s cheeks. His thumb brushes over the scar close to Billy’s eye, the only one that really couldn’t be hidden like the many others. Billy’s taking off his sunglasses and lets Steve see his eyes, not nearly as empty as they were before. Steve feels Billy’s arms around his waist and Steve can feel a smile coming to his face, “I’m glad you’re here, really glad.” 

“At your job?” 

“No, you know what I mean. Out, driving like you used to.” 

Billy laughs a little bit, low and gravely. He has a bright grin on his face as he pushes Steve’s hair behind his ear, “It was Max’s idea to get a few movies. Her friend, El, she’s sleeping over I guess.” 

Steve can’t help but wonder if that’s what the girls said Billy was trying to ask, for him to come over. 

“I could come over if you want.” 

“You trying to get in my pants, King Steve?” 

They haven’t seen each other, at least like that, for a long time. Steve could feel his face getting hot again and his answer really did lack all the confidence he was trying to have, “I mean...is that off the table?” 

Billy looked a little disappointed as he looked away from Steve’s gaze. There’s plenty of other things to do but when it came to the shirt coming off, Billy still was really insecure about it. Even if those big scars were there and were a memory from something horrible, Steve still thought they were beautiful. 

Steve heard him lightly grumble out, “It’s bad ...really bad.” 

If they were behind closed doors, Steve would have wanted to prove to him right now that none of that mattered. Steve lightly brought Billy’s sad eyes to look back at him. Steve thinks he looks like he’s about to cry and his heart sinks as he tries to think of the right words to not let that happen. Steve cautiously takes one of Billy’s hands him a reassuring smile, “I don’t care okay? I really don’t care. You got those scars from doing a good thing.” 

Billy’s clearly desperately trying to hold back the tears as he mumbled, “I didn’t do shit.” 

“You’re a hero, a gorgeous as fuck hero, and I’ll always fight you on that.” 

Billy smirks and his voice still sounds thick, “Think you’ll win that one, Steve?” 

There was really something different about when Billy used his first name. A lot of the times it was ‘Harrington’ when Billy got irritated or one of the nicknames that Steve willingly accepted. Those times that Billy used ‘Steve’, it usually was when things were getting really emotional. 

Steve gave him a shrug, “I can try. If you let me, I can show you that those scars are anything but ugly.” 

Billy put some thought into it before he leaned forward to whisper in Steve’s ear, “Are you always this persuasive Pretty Boy?” 

“It’s one of the few things I’m more or less good at.” 

They’re back to kissing again and Steve’s glad that there isn’t really anybody left in the parking lot because that would have been flat out embarrassing. One of Billy’s hands is in his hair and the other one is right there on his ass. Steve loses track of time but eventually pulled away for air and the obvious sudden realization the girls are honestly probably watching them make out right here in public. They still keep it close as Steve decides to ask, “Was that the important thing?” 

“Hm?” 

“The girls said you have something important to ask me.” 

Those blue eyes study him for a little while and Steve can’t really figure out what Billy’s feeling. It’s obvious he’s been expressing himself a lot more or at least trying to since his dad decided to leave. Steve was focused on the smell of cigarettes, hairspray, and cologne as he waited for Billy to either say what he needed to or change the subject. 

Steve was just fine with him being here. 

“You remember what I promised you Pretty Boy? When we made out that one time at Lover’s Lake?” 

How could Steve forget? 

It was one of their dates late at night when Billy was sure his dad wasn’t going to know he was gone. They went up to the lake and made out in the backseat of Billy’s Camaro. At one point Billy looked right at him with such determined look, promising Steve that he’d show him those California beaches he missed so much. 

“You wanted to show me California but things...got a little delayed.” 

Steve bites his tongue at the indirect mention of the incident but Billy doesn’t seem too fazed by it. Steve saw a smile come to his face as he slowly nodded, “Yeah. _Delayed._ I’ve been having a bunch of good days lately, Max’s friend has been keeping track. You and Max also happened to fix my car to the point where I can’t even tell anything happened to it.” 

Billy bites his lip and Steve knows what he’s about to say. 

“How about I finally fulfill that promise?” 

A road trip to California. Steve’s grinning from ear to ear as he nods, so blinded by just flat out fucking love.

“Yeah, hell yeah. Wait...what’s your sister going to do?” 

“She’s a teenager, a pretty functioning one but The Police Chief is willing to let her and El have a lengthy sleepover while we’re on our road trip.” 

Steve would have to do something about work but Robin could more than likely think of a good excuse to hopefully keep him from getting fired. 

“I’ll talk to Keith, get some time off, and obviously get a bag.” 

“Sounds like a plan Pretty Boy.” 

They’re both smiling and Billy’s going to kiss him again before Steve hears Max yell from the video store, “I’ve literally had to watch you suck each others faces off for like ten minutes, maybe even more because Steve’s friend kept laughing too much and she couldn’t check out the movies. Me and El are disgusted!” 

“Yeah. Disgusted!” 

Billy had a smug smile on his face, a very familiar smug smile and Steve figured Robin would be laughing. He’d get teased about this tomorrow afternoon and even worse when Robin found out about the road trip plan. 

“Your fault for watching.” 

“I really didn’t have a choice.” 

El hands Billy a pack of mint gum and Max hands him a chocolate bar. Steve stands there confused as themselves into the backseat of the car with their movies, Billy working on opening the pack of gum. He sticks a piece in his mouth before offering one up to Steve, “I get rewarded now, the longer I stay happy.” 

Billy sticks the piece in his mouth and Steve’s really thinking about getting him new rings, “You’re happy?” 

Steve thinks it’s beautiful how Billy’s eyes are shining from the sun and the emotion of that real smile, “Honestly? Yeah. I am. I was feeling really lost before but I found my way back with a little bit of help. I’m still a little fucked up but the poison is out of my life, I’ve started to bond with my sister more than I probably ever have in a while, I guess I’m friends with a girl that has superpowers and King Steve is my boyfriend. I would say life’s been treating me pretty well so far.” 

Billy leaned closer and didn’t really seem to care that the girls were watching, “I always have and always will be happy with the guy I love.” 

Steve and Billy never really said the word before, but they showed enough of it through action. This was the first time Steve heard it and he honestly felt his heart literally about to burst out of his chest from the emotion. 

“Billy-” 

Before Steve could reply, Billy pulled him into a short light kiss. Steve may as well have passed out as Billy pulled away, putting on his dark shades. He made his way to the driver’s side with a grin as bright as the sun, “Hop in Pretty Boy, I think we’ve grossed out the girls enough.” 

“I love you too.” 

They both had bright grins on their faces as they sat in the car. The girls sat in the back talking about girl stuff and Steve was just overflowing with emotion as they drove back to the house. He was emotional about seeing Billy drive again, tapping his hands on the wheel to the beat of some rock song on the stereo. He was emotional about the plans for the road trip and especially emotional about actually full-on saying they loved each other. 

All of this, this was Steve’s vision of perfection. 

**Author's Note:**

> I can't and won't stop writing


End file.
